Friday, November 23, 2012

Obligatory Black Friday post

Walmart is always the focus of our Black Friday voyeurism though all the big box stores are just as guilty of exploiting their workers and ruining the formerly thriving Main Streets of our youth. But in the end, none of us escape the blame. The business model exists only because we support the big box/Walmart stores by shopping there.

It's unlikely today's protests will hurt the corporation financially. It certainly won't hurt the Walmart heirs who together hold as much wealth as the collective wealth of 41% of lower income Americans. But to the extent that it generates some mainstream media attention on Walmart's business practices, it's a start. The majority of their employees work as many hours as they can get, yet they can't exist without food stamp and Medicaid assistance. Walmart stores don't build unless they get huge tax breaks and other government subsidies. If the protests raise even a little awareness on how we're all paying for their cheap pricing whether or not we shop there, it will be worth it.